When to add salt to cooking water?
Is it better to salt cooking water, for vegetables for example, at the beginning when it is cold or when it boils?
I always heard that one should salt "after", when water is boiling, because if it is salted "before" it will take longer to boil.
True or false? Let's try the experiment...
I always heard that one should salt "after", when water is boiling, because if it is salted "before" it will take longer to boil.
True or false? Let's try the experiment...
143 K 4.1/5 (23 reviews)
15 min.
Easy
4 Whens to add salt to cooking water?Last modified on: July 25th 2017
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 2 min.
Cooking: 10 min.
All in all: 15 min.
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 2 min.
1 litre of water is put in a pan and 1 tbs coarse salt is added.
Stage 2 - 10 min.
The water temperature is measured in the same way, every minute, until it boils.
Stage 3
Let's compare times and temperatures in this diagram: the unsalted water in green, the salted water in red.
Conclusion
At the start of heating, the temperature of the salted water rises more slowly: after 3 minutes 30 seconds the unsalted water is already at 040°C (100°F), while salted water is still at 025°C (80°F).
But then the two catch up and they take the same time to reach 100°C (210°F).
Another point: it seems, but I'm not really adamant about it, that salted water starts to boil at a lower temperature than unsalted, i.e. around 90°C (190°F) rather than 100°C (210°F).
But then the two catch up and they take the same time to reach 100°C (210°F).
Another point: it seems, but I'm not really adamant about it, that salted water starts to boil at a lower temperature than unsalted, i.e. around 90°C (190°F) rather than 100°C (210°F).
Other recipes you may also like
Savoury mini-madeleines with 2 cheeses
These moist-textured savoury madeleines have a delicious combination of 2 cheeses: Cheddar and Parmesan. They make an ideal aperitif snack.May 8th 201686 K4.4 40 min.
Home-made terrine of foie gras
Preparing your own home-made foie gras from raw is immensively satisfying: good quality liver and a simply amazing flavour – much better than anything you can buy. This recipe is a bit tricky, but quite within everyone's grasp, as long as you follow the 3 most delicate stages carefully. These are,...December 17th 20235.23 M 64.2 4 days 15 hours 50 min.
Green parsley sauce
This sauce, with a great parsley taste, is perfect with steamed vegetables or fish. At the bottom you will find the coulis version of this recipe.February 21th 2011513 K 44.3 25 min.
Surprise bread
This recipe is for a large surprise bread so you can make six layers (48 small sandwiches if you divide each layer in 8), with three different flavours: smoked salmon/lime, smoked ham/butter, mayonnaise/chicken.December 27th 2020698 K 84.5 6 hours 25 min.
How to break a chocolate bar into small pieces
Most of the time chocolate needs to be broken into small pieces before use, because it melts faster and more evenly. Here is a way to do it quickly.February 21th 2011157 K3 1 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2024-12-15)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.